Some Things are Meant to Stay Forgotten
by Train Tractor
Summary: There are things you can't remember from way-back-when. The memories that those around you have covered up. Those are the things that come back to haunt you the most, especially when you're a jinchuuriki.


A/N: Well, I've had this idea in my head for WAY too long. Like 2-and-a-half years too long. Don't you just HATE it when you can't find the motivation to do anything for that amount of time?

By the way, I've probably forgotten a lot about the Akatsuki and I don't feel like re-reading the manga, so sorry ahead of time for any inaccuracies and how I'm probably gonna butcher their characters into a bajillion itty-bitty bits.

Also, I'm not so sure when this takes place (though I know it's in Shippuden), and there may be some continuity errors (sorry).

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto.

**Edit: This has been editz0red to be longer. The second chapter was just gonna be as long as the first was, so I'm combining them.**

* * *

**Prologue**

"Did you find it?"

"I-I'm sorry, sir. We looked through all those books, scrolls, _everything_, but there wasn't anything about any jinchuuriki beyond the records that are thirteen years old. We questioned some of our agents in the area, none of them have seen or heard anything about it. It seems to be gone..." The man obviously didn't know anything. It would be pointless at ask him anything else.

"Fine, I guess it can't be helped," Zetsu said with an inaudible sigh. It was odd that a _jinchuuriki_ of all things could just _vanish _from the face of the earth. From what he knew, a village would always try to control a host and its demon, not do away with it as if it were some trifle that wasn't worth their time.

--

"I'm back."

The Akatsuki headquarters was dank and depressing as ever. The constant barrage of rain outside wasn't helping.

"Zetsu, have you found out where the Seven-tails is?" Pain's silhouette was barely visible, as usual.

"I'm sorry, a few of our agents looked through all the records of Iwagakure that might suggest where it is. The jinchuuriki disappeared from them thirteen years ago," Zetsu explained.

"**Yeah, whaddaya doin' sending us on a wild goose chase when you should know that the host isn't there?!**" Zetsu's ruder side decided to interject its opinion. Though it did have a point; why even bother if it's not there?

"Because," Pain replied in a matter-of-fact tone, "one of our agents claimed that they sensed the chakra of the beast a few days ago. In Konohagakure."

"**What the... That doesn't make any fuckin' sense! What would a demon from a different country be doing there?!**"

"You're going to go there and find out. And if you find it, you'll bring it back," Pain made his orders _very_ clear.

"As you wish," and in a moment's time, Zetsu had disappeared into the ground.

"Pain-sama," Konan had been there to hear the whole conversation, "It's generally common knowledge within its village when someone is a jinchuuriki. Konoha should have at least discovered that they had another one among them, shouldn't they?"

"Yes, but remember that it was the Third Hokage who was in power at the time. If anything, he would not let that information get out, and would probably try to let the child live a normal life. That is, if he even knew about it in the first place."

"Huh? How is that even possible that he _wouldn't_ know?"

"There's always the possibility..."

"I see," Konan sighed. "All we have to do now is wait now."

--

Zetsu grumbled as he slinked through the forest on his way to the Konoha. It was a shame he couldn't enjoy what a beautiful afternoon it was as he made his way to the village, especially since it was always raining in Amegakure and the warmth of the sun felt really good. He _could _probably just slack off and take his good sweet time. He was just chasing dead ends anyway. Why else would no one notice a DEMON of all thing's chakra after no one had for THIRTEEN YEARS.

He remembered when Kisame an Itachi had been dispatched to find the Nine-tails (for whatever reason; it's not like they needed it at that time). They had been able to pinpoint the exact location of the host by sensing it's chakra - it's what everyone had done (which had been particularly helpful in the case of the Four-tails, seeing as how that old man had taken to being a hermit a long time ago).

Then he felt it, the demon's chakra. It was barely there, but he could definitely feel it.

Guess he spoke too soon.

It was odd though: The chakra seemed like it was trickling out, as if it were water in a leaking glass. It was an almost-invisible ribbon of energy, snaking it's way through the trees. If he hadn't known what a demon's chakra felt like, it would have gone completely unnoticed.

But it's not like that was a _bad _thing: It would make it all the more easy to find the jinchuuriki.

--

By the time he saw the end of the trail, it was already evening. He was still in the forest and _just _outside on of the village's training grounds. There was a team of three teenagers with their sensei. At that moment, their sensei was dismissing them while saying something about how they did on that day's mission.

The group then parted ways: The sensei disappeared while the students started walking together, probably going to part ways at some point or another. Zetsu followed silently, conceiling his chakra and being careful not to get noticed.

It didn't take long for the plant man to figure out which of the three was the jinchuuriki. Not because he pinpointed which one had the chakra, but because one of the host's teammates was looking at it as if he also sensed the demon's chakra, or that something was wrong.

Zetsu's eyes drifted to the jinchuuriki. It's hand was on it's stomach and its eyebrows furrowed in concentration. It appeared to be deep thought, maybe to the point of tuning out the last of the group's rambling about that days mission and how great everyone was. Said last member was apparently trying to lighten the mood (although failing miserably).

After about twenty minutes (the later ten spent complete and utter silence), the team _finally _split up and went their own ways. Another ten minutes later, the jinchuuriki arrived at it's house: A humble little home on the outskirts of the village. It was away from the normal hustle and bustle of the village; Zetsu guessed it would probably a while before anyone would notice if something was wrong.

He smirked, this was going to be easier than he thought.

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A/N: I **(still) **need con-crit. Badly. I wanna be able to write better (and get everyone better in character), and giving me some tips could really help.

And aside from that, can _you _guess who the jinchuuriki is? :D

Hint: It's not an OC.

Review please!


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